Transportation systems



April 4, 19 61 R. lHMlG TRANSPORTATION SYSTEMS 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Oct. 5, 1955 INVENTOR RuooLF IHMIG- ATTORNEYS April 4, 1961 R. IHMIG 2,977,892

TRANSPORTATION SYSTEMS Filed Oct. 5, 1953 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

BY RUDOLF IHM l6- ATTORNEYS April 4, 196 R. lHMlG 2,977,892

TRANSPORTATION SYSTEMS Filed Oct. 5, 1953 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 II I h F "nae-0'0 a ATTORNEYS 2 INVENTOR IQUDOLF .Zl/M/(i Un d. States 2,977,892 r TRANSPORTATION SYSTEMS Rudolf ,lhmig, Schwelrn, Westphalia, Germany, assignorjto' Alweg-Forschung, Gesellschaft mit beschrankter l-Iaftung, Koln, Germany a a I 3 Filed Oct. 5, 1953, Ser. No. 384,243 t a "I Claims priority, application Germany Oct. 8, 19:52 1

I 2 Claims. (01. 104-26).

The present invention relates to improvements in transportation systems and more particularly to stations and switch yards. L a 1 l i Ihe invention is especially suited for use with transportat ion' s stems of the type disclosed in application Serial No., 371,106, filed July 29, 1953, for Mono-Track Transportation Systems and Apparatus, now abandoned in which a train consisting of one or more units travels over an elevated mono-beam tra ck structure.

' In conventional; stations and'switch yards a relatively complex shunting Operation is necessary to break down .andmake up trains. Such anoperationnecessitates a R 2,977,892 Batented Apr.

construction as' disclosed in the aforesaid application theswitch 32 are disclosed more fully in application Serial No. 371,106 to which reference is made for detailed 'description. The switch and track form. no part of the present invention except in combination with the other features of the station and switch yard hereindisclosed.

large yard, rebui're's'a" number of highly skilled operators and is time consuming. Such large switch yards are ordinarily located as close as possible'to large industrial centers and accordingly the cost of the land alone is excessive. Complex switches and signalling systems which are expensive and require continuous maintenance .are required which increase the expense of the operation.

It is the primary purpose and object of the present invention to provide a more efficient compact switching yard which requires a substantially reduced area and substantially reduces the use of switches and eliminates the necessity for crossings and signalling systems.

. This is'accomplished by providing a station which comprises essentially a solid'trackless even surface capable of supporting heavy weights which is connected 'to the main track structures by short track branches. The invention further comprises the provision of movable supporting structures or vans adapted-to be moved over the solid supporting surface carrying one'or more tr'ainunits from one junction to another as required. p r 4 Further advantages and details of the construction of the present inventionwill become apparent as the description proceeds in connection with'the'accompanying drawings in which: 7.

Figure 1 is a diagrammatic plan of a simple station and Briefly boththe switch and track structure are'preferably' formed of reinforced concrete and have opposed parallel sidesurfacesadapted to guide the side wheels 33 and 33a of 'a vehicle, 34 and a top surface adapted to sup port the main load carrying wheels 35 of the vehicle.

It will be seenparticularly in Figures 2 and 7 that the side 's'urfacesbf the transition section 30 are uniformly increasingly outwardly flared as the track'. progresses awayfmm the switchand the-top surface is sloped downwardly in thej sanie direction. As shown in Figures 6 'and"7 the 's'idewheels 33 and 33a are pivotally mounted in the vehicle. Accordingly as the car passes over the transition track section the side wheels will be moved to a position where they support the vehicle on the fiat surface of the yard 28 so that a train passing over the transition may be delivered from its elevated position to ground level onto the yard area 28. As best shown in Figure 5, the vehicles may be transferred directly from the main track to a van 36 over a transition track section This van comprises essentially a heavy platform structure 37 supported on a plurality of steerable wheels 38. Truss-like side frame structures 39 are provided to increase the rigidity ofthe van. The vans may be pro? vided at opposite ends with coupling units 40 so that a plurality of the vans maybe rigidly'coupled together or may be attached to a tractor 42. Alternately the vans may be self-propelled. Coupling units 40 or similar,

.. coupling units may be utilized also to attach the vans at switching yard in accordance with the present invention;

Figure 2 is a perspective view of athrough line .track section together with a switch and associated short track section connecting the through linewiththe station area;

Figure'i'i is a side elevation of one form of vanadapted to carry the train units over the station area;

oneend rigidly to a transition track section 30a as shown in Figure 5 so that the trains moving over the transition section 30a may be driven directly onto the track elements 41, 43 and 44 provided on the vans. When the cards in place-on the van 36 may be uncoupled from the remainder of the train and locked in position by means not shown on the van.

Whenthe vans are so loaded they may bemoved either under their own power or by means of a tractor to main- ,tenance areas or to other switch sections as desired.

' Figure 4 is apictorial view .of a station and switch .yard area showing the associated buildingsjj v Figure Sis a side elevation of one car of atwo car train passing from a transition track section onto a van; Figure 6 is a diagrammatic'view showing a train car in passage over a main track sectionrfand 1 Figure7- is a similar view. showing the train in passage over a transition track section.

- conventional system where a switch or track section must Referring now more particularly to the drawings, main through track linesare indicated at 20 and 22. The track line 20 has a section 24 parallel to the through track 22,

the tracks 22 and 24 being so spaced as to provide ade-v quate area for the switching needs of .the particular installation. As' shown in Figures 2 and 4 the main track sections are elevated and are preferably of mono-beam Since the vans may be moved to any desired area or in any direction over the smooth surface of the yard area 28, complicated rails, switches and signalling systems are eliminated andgno delay is occasioned as in the case of a be cleared before the next succeeding unit may be moved. Figure .4 shows arcomplete station area constructed in accordance with the invention showing maintenance or warehouse-buildings surrounding the yard area 28.

. It will be seen that the object'of the invention has been attained by the elimination of the large yard area and by the elimination of switch and signalling installations'at through terminal and shunt stations of transportation' systems thus minimizing the costs of installation,

maintenance and service. Also the expense of the operation is further reduced by the minimization, of time re 'ciuired to effect the particular operation and by reduction of the time required by skilled personnel.

Further the station is less susceptible of deterioration than prior systems and in the event of extensive damage may be easily and inexpensively repaired. a t

The invention may be embodied in'other, specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics thereof. The present embodiments are therefore to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, the scope of the invention being indicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description, and all changes which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are therefore intended to be embraced therein. t 7

What is claimed and desired to be secured :by United States Letters Patent is: 1

1. A monobeam railway transportation system comprising in combination: a plurality of main elevated monobeam tracks having sidings, said sidings being at substantially the same elevation as said tracks and being spaced apart a substantial distance, saidmonobeam. track sections and said sidings having a top running surface and side running surfacw for supporting and .guiding monobeam vehicles, said side running surfaces on said sidings being uniformly increasingly outwardly flared; a flat switch yard below the level of said main monobeam track extending between and connecting said plurality of sidings with a fiat surface, said siding being tapered downwardly so as to merge with said switch yard and allow said monobeam vehicles to be gradually transferred from said monobeam track to said switch yard.

2. A switch yard system for mono-track transportation vehicles which comprises in combination: a plurality of main elevated monobeam tracks having sidings at substantially the same level as said tracks spaced apart a substantial distance, said monobeam tracks and said sidings having a top running surface and side running surfaces for supporting and guiding monobeam vehicles, said top running surface of said siding being downwardly sloped; a flat switch yard below the level of said main monobeam track extending between and connecting said sidings, said sidings having a transition section between their elevated levels and said flat switch yard to facilitate movement of monobeam vehicles from said elevated tracks to said sidings and thence to said flat switch yard, said side surfaces of the transition section being uniformly increasingly outwardly flared as the siding progresses away from the main elevated track.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

